Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Saving Lives While Making Money....It's About Time!

It's funny how things happen. Since my last post about the busing situation and the need for more school crossing guards in my neighborhood school zone, something interesting has happened. First there was the local news station who has been recording in our area three times in the last week. And now  we have six Sheriff cars stationed in front of the school and at the gas station across from my subdivision.

How does this help? Well, they don't stop traffic to help the kids cross the street, according to one parent I spoke with today. Their job is to police the traffic that is speeding in the area. (Guess you gotta be a little old lady to get that assistance, but at this point who's complaining????) Call it setting a speed trap, (impossible since there are plenty of flashing light and signs indicating speed reduction and that your entering a school zone), but they are making a difference! They've been there since Monday and I hope they stay there because if the county is needing to raise money, they've found a money maker! Just this morning while walking my daughter to school at 7:20 A.M, the police had at least three people pulled over and were writing tickets. Where were these people pulled over at? Not just on the outskirts of the school zone, oh no but DIRECTLY in front of the school! (I'm talking about in the school's drive way!) and in the turn lane to enter my subdivision right in the spot where the little girl got hit by a car last week!

The police have given these driver's the courtesy of posting themselves in plain view for oncoming drivers to see them and realize they need to slow down. They are not waiting right beside the posted signs, they are at the halfway point of the signs when they catch these people who have not paid any attention to the signs and have continued on their way. This afternoon when I walk to meet my daughter I am going to stop the nearest police officer and tell them 'Thank you."

No, they may not be crossing guards to help children cross the street or buses to keep the children from having to walk. (In fact at this point, if they brought the buses back I'd miss walking! I've lost a few inches in the last few weeks!). But they are doing something to make the community safer for everyone in the neighborhood. Hopefully their police presence will make ignorant driver's who are too busy talking on their cell phones and being too impatient to use the simple breaking systems in their car pay attention and realize that there are CHILDREN walking in the area and that slowing down and looking out for them is more important than speeding through the area to cut off three minutes of driving time.

Hey....I wonder...If I were to ask the police officer how many tickets they've written since Monday, will I get an answer? As Arsenio Hall used to say...Things that make you go...HMMMMMMMMM.